The Meyerowitz Stories (New and Selected) Page #13

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For my jeopardy! Parody

I did at my office,

we just had to use

the overhead fluorescents.

Yours had wonderful mise-en-scne

as well, Jean.

Thanks.

And this is your best yet, Eliza.

Thanks, dad.

I've made eight more since then.

I'm in five of them.

- [Growls]

- [car beeps]

- [Barking]

- Bruno! Bruno! Did you hit traffic?

- We were expecting you earlier.

- I brought lunch.

The dad is being very stubborn.

I can't get him to do

any of his exercises.

How's he doing?

Well, the earliest appointment we can get

with the neurologist is next month.

It's a lot for me to do by myself here.

Oh, fortunately, we got

a little more money from the sale.

James sent photos of one of the sculptures

in the retirement home in Arizona.

They look quite stunning.

I have to say, I was very surprised

that you tried to stop the deal

after all the trouble you went through

setting it up.

Well...

I just thought... I changed my mind.

Well, it was my decision,

as I'm next of kin.

It's too late now.

I found these in the dad's things.

I think they're yours.

They're Danny's.

We just have to finish

filling out these insurance forms,

which seem to be written

in a foreign language.

Maureen, why don't you ask me?

Somebody in my company will do that.

Well, I don't like to ask for...

[Whimpers]

Help.

- Let me do it, okay?

- But it's a big day.

It's the dad's first meal

off of the feeding tube.

He's very excited that you brought lunch.

He's watching tcm.

Hey, dad.

Hi.

What are you watching?

I don't know.

In these '30s movies,

the men wore tuxedos all the time.

Things have gotten much more casual.

[Matthew] maybe they dressed up because

they lived shorter lives back then,

wanted to celebrate life.

We spent three hours today at goodwill.

The dad had a funny joke.

What was that?

Oh.

I'll set you up again.

We spent three hours today at goodwill.

Which pretty much destroyed mine.

- Ah. That's good, dad.

- Thank you.

You should see the other dog.

That's true, the dad got very impatient.

As we were handing over the boxes,

I saw that I had accidentally

included my good wok,

and I hesitated.

Then I thought,

"I haven't made Chinese food in ten years.

I'm not gonna make Chinese food again."

But you have your idea of yourself,

and you want to hold onto that.

[Coughing]

- You okay?

- [Coughs] Yes.

Dad, take it easy.

We just got you out of the hospital,

we don't want you to go back!

It was very unpleasant in the hospital.

Mm-hmm.

You know, I was there

for a couple of months.

- I know.

- Maureen has been my savior.

Harold, you're getting brown sauce

all over the sheets.

No, now you're just rubbing it in.

Matt, could you help the dad

get ready for his nap?

Sure.

I'm gonna try to visit more.

It's hard because Tony

starts kindergarten this year,

and I want to be there for that.

But I want to be here more.

L.j.'s coming for lunch

in a couple of weeks.

You should come for that.

He left me a very effusive message

about my show,

and someone wrote a rave on my Google.

It was very inspired of you

to set that up.

- Jean and Danny organized it, dad.

- Is that right?

- But you made the sale.

- Yeah, that was me.

I bought a piece back

from Brian and James.

It's the piece from the show, "Matthew".

Because "Matthew" and...

We did it together.

Thank you for...

Letting me be a part of your process.

It had a big effect on me, dad.

Your confidence was contagious.

And I think that's why

I'm able to do what I do now.

I remember I made "Matthew" in 1966,

the year the Whitney bought my piece.

It couldn't have been 1966.

It was.

I didn't work in bronze after that.

I wasn't born yet.

Well...

Oh, that's right, isn't it?

Then it couldn't have been you

watching me, could it?

Maybe it was your brother.

You should've called it "Danny."

You're right, I should have.

I'm going to go to sleep now.

It's okay if you want to sit here longer

while I fall asleep.

Sure.

I love you, dad.

Love you.

[Danny] hey, my brother.

- My brother.

- Thanks for paying for this.

The private room is... it's not necessary.

I can get work done this way.

- How was dad?

- Oh, I don't know.

He's still dad.

You know, I said goodbye to him

so many times in my head

that it's strange, in a way,

I wasn't prepared for him to survive.

Well, now we'll know

what to do the next time.

The three of us had a real rhythm going.

I just don't want

to have to speak publicly again.

You know, sometimes I wish.

Dad had done

one horrible, unforgivable thing,

something specific

I could be angry about...

But it isn't one thing,

it's tiny things every day.

It's drip, drip, drip.

I'm sorry I couldn't stop the house

and the art from being sold.

In the end, Maureen was determined.

I'm over it.

I'm not.

I think these are your vuarnets.

I thought those were yours.

- Maybe they were mine.

- No, I think you're right.

- They're mine.

- I'm remembering now owning them.

- No, they look like a pair I had.

- No, you're right.

- They were mine.

- Give me them.

Well, you can have them anyway.

Can you help me walk?

The nurse is supposed to be here to do it,

but I get antsy.

Hey, I loved Eliza's new movie.

It's good, right?

- You've done a great job with her.

- Thanks.

You know, I'm glad she likes you so much.

Hey, when you get out of here,

you want to come to L.A.?

I love Los Angeles.

I haven't been there, but I love it.

You could stay with me,

see what you think.

I don't know. The weather's nice.

I could get you a ticket

in a couple of weeks.

I don't know. I think I should stay

and help Maureen with dad.

I have sympathy for her,

but I don't trust her.

Well, if you change your mind...

I was going to stay here longer,

but I think I should leave tonight

and get back to Tony.

Oh, yeah. Go be with your boy.

Thanks for, you know...

Taking care of me.

Maureen went into town for groceries

a few hours ago.

The famous blueberry pancakes.

I don't know what she could be doing.

How's her drinking?

I made her a deal.

I said we'd put in a pool

if she stopped drinking.

You know, since the bard show,

Matthew has personally invested

in a piece of mine.

You should have seen Matt, dad.

When you were sick,

he was there the whole time.

He really whipped us into shape.

I think you and Jean should look

into getting me a solo show.

That would put me back on the map.

You know, we were all there

the whole time.

Every time I turn on tcm,

it's meet me in St. Louis.

What's on the premium channels?

It was rough there for a minute.

We thought we might lose you.

There's something called sex tape

on starz. You know anything about that?

Not really.

Should we try it?

- [Woman] hello?

- [Girl] Hi, mom!

- Hi, honey.

- Maureen is leaving for Cuba on Monday.

I thought you could stay with me

while she's away.

You know, Matt invited me to L.A.

I'm still recovering.

I could really use the help.

- Have you ever been to L.A.?

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